In what may go down in Internet history as the Facebook Privacy Scandal, the leading social-networking site over the past week took the covers off a simplified privacy policy. But some privacy advocates say it’s not enough. And some analysts expect more privacy changes to come.
The ACLU’s Chris Conley said the changes are a “major step forward for privacy on Facebook,” but continued to say that there are still “substantial issues that Facebook needs to address.”
Kevin Bankston, a senior staff attorney specializing in free speech at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, agreed that “the changes are pretty good, though more is needed.” And Leslie Harris, president and CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology, said although the changes don’t resolve every privacy issue that CDT has identified, the announcement was a “welcome step.”
Reviewing the Changes
To review, Facebook made three major changes to its privacy settings. First, Facebook has provided a new basic privacy-settings page to allow users to set a “default privacy level.” Users can choose one of the old options or mix and match based on preference.
Facebook also moved to undo one of the most controversial privacy changes it made in April. Specifically, Facebook is restoring true privacy controls for Facebook Connect, which had made users’ likes, interests, education, work history, hometown and current city public. A user’s name, profile picture, gender and networks remain public.
Another controversial change Facebook made last December was also reversed. Facebook has restored a user’s ability to opt out of sharing information with Facebook applications and connected web sites. Facebook is also making it easier to opt out of information sharing with web sites participating in Facebook’s Instant Personalization program.
Who’s Responsible for Privacy?
Brad Shimmin, an analyst at Current Analysis, expects to see Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg spend more face time making his…